A ‘glimpse’ into Joji’s third album “SMITHEREENS”
“SMITHEREENS”, released by long-time musician Joji, tackles the subject of heartbreak in a raw and honest way, showcasing the musician's well-polished producing skill.
Opening track “Glimpse of Us” reflects on past relationships while telling the story of relentlessly hoping that you and a past partner will find your way back to each other. The single captured the attention of the Tik Tok audience, becoming viral and collecting over 600 million streams on Spotify.
The concept of missing a past lover is a common theme throughout the album. The third track “Die For You” sees Joji through the lens of post-breakup, hoping that an ex is getting all that he couldn't provide, while at the same time saying “I’d still die for you.” The track is similar to the 10th track of Joji’s debut album “BALLADS '' that has a chorus with the lines “I’d die for you” repeated throughout.
The second half of “SMITHEREENS” makes a complete tempo change, with the style moving from a piano based sound to a DIY and electronic sound. Joji notes this change with the titles shifting to all uppercase.
”BLAHBLAHBLAH DEMO” expresses feelings of confusion throughout the track and the derealization of one's surroundings. With the line “When I hear your voice, I’m into deep,” Joji sums up a lot of the feelings on the album, still reminiscing on an ex.
Ending with “1 AM FREESTYLE” concluding the SIDE B, as well as the album in its entirety. The sublime lyrics over the piano track comes in at just under 2 minutes. The track combines Joji’s peaceful sound with his talent of producing, creating a bedroom hip-hop sound.
While the project is sub-25 minutes, it is worthwhile. This post-breakup, heartache album is perfect for those who are on the journey towards healing from past relationships.
